Andrew Ewing Houston:
I'm new at this, and have been grappling with my mind for a little while now. Recently, I think I've finally reached access concentration, and can focus steadily on the breath. My question is, when entering the first jhana, does the object shift from being the breath(in my case) to being the jhana state itself?
Pardon me, Daniel, but I think Andrew is asking for a more simple and basic answer to his question than the rather complex and advanced one you provided. Remember, he is "new at this."
In answer to the question asked, the answer is no. The object does not shift from the breath. In fact, the attention becomes more focused on the breath as concentration deepens and develops, and the mind becomes more solidly unified on the
pleasantness of the breath when entering the first absorption (jhana).
What you call "access concentration" is just called
samadhi in the discourses of the Buddha. It can be helpful to understand just what
samadhi is as opposed to other terms that are sometimes used in its place. "Access concentration" is a commentarial designation brought into use by Bhadantacariya Buddhaghosa, a fifth century Indian brahmin who supposedly converted to Buddhism and compiled all the extant written commentary at the time into his own volume called the
Visuddhimagga or
The Path of Purification.
Samadhi is "concentration" itself (or in your case with the added, although unnecessary conceptual helpmeet description, "access" concentration) and jhana or absorption is the deepening of that concentration into a stronger unification of the mind on the object (such as the breath, in the case of
anapanasati meditation). Some have described this absorption as
appana samadhi, or "fixed" concentration, as "access" transitions to "fixed" concentration. Either way, it is a qualitatively different experience from ordinary
samadhi. And it should be easily recognized as being such by any meditator who experiences it.
I'm not even sure why Buddhaghosa chose to use this designation of "access concentration" (
upacara samadhi) because it is, in general, unnecessary. In my opinion, it just adds a bit more confusion to the instruction as people try to figure out what it is and how it is experienced and whether or not it is different from this or that. The word "access" simply refers to having just the correct intensity or amount of concentration worked up which enables the mind to become absorbed in the object. Once that absorption takes place, it is a qualitatively different experience than plain old
samadhi (concentration).
That said, once the meditator becomes a little more used to being able to enter absorption (somewhat at will), the breath can be placed in the background as insight (or
vipassana) meditation takes the foreground. In other words, since the breath is always there, it makes the perfect object for the attention to return to whenever it feels the need in order to maintain the absorption, being able to be aware of it kind of on the side or periphery while the greater attention of the mind explores other subjects (such as the three characteristics that Daniel talked about) in insight meditation. Once the mind becomes established (as in absorption) on an object or subject, it becomes malleable and workable, having gained imperturbability. One can then more easily direct it toward knowing and seeing "things as they really are" in
vipassana meditation.